San Da Chinese Kickboxing
San Da (Chinese: 散打), formerly Sanshou (Chinese: 散手), also known as Chinese boxing or Chinese kickboxing, is the official Chinese full contact combat sport. San Da is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Kung fu and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.
San Da, the free combat, is often taught alongside Wushu Taolu (forms) training. However, as part of the development of sport wushu by the Chinese government, a standard curriculum for Sanda was developed. It is to this standard curriculum that the term Wushu San Da is usually applied. San Da may also involve techniques from any other fighting style depending on the teacher's mode of instruction.
Curriculum
The generalized modern curriculum practiced in modern wushu schools is composed of different traditional martial arts fighting styles from China, but mainly based on scientific efficiency. Wushu Sanda is composed of Chinese martial arts applications including most aspects of combat including striking and grappling, however when Wushu Sanda was developed as a sport, restrictions were made for safety reasons as well as to promote it as a non-violent sport. Examples of such restrictions included no blows delivered to the back of the head, throat, spine or groin and the discontinuation of the combat when any of the fighters fall to the ground. However many schools, whether traditional or modern, practice it as an all-round martial arts system with no restrictions, only adapting their training in relation to competition rules prior to the event. Sanda tournaments are one of the two disciplines recognized by the International Wushu Federation.
Hand Strikes
Jab
Cross
Hook
Overhand
Uppercut
Back-fist
Kicks
Front Thrusting Kick
Front Snap Kick
Side Kick
Hook Kick
Spinning Back Kick
Roundhouse Kick
Axe Kick
Throws
Hip Throw
Shoulder Throw
Double Leg Takedowns
Single Leg Takedowns
Body Lock Takedowns
Kick Catch Throws
Trips
Elbow & Knees
Horizontal
Vertical
Diagnal
One can see Sanda as a synthesis of traditional Chinese fighting techniques into a more amorphous system and is commonly taught alongside traditional Chinese styles, from which Wushu Sanda techniques, theory and training methods are derived. The emphasis of Sanda is on a more amorphous fighting ability.
